In this 4 minute video from HuffPost Healthy Living, French ex-molecular biologist turned Buddhist monk, confidante of HH The Dalai Lama, and "happiest person in the world" explains the difference between empathy and compassion. 

Whilst empathy required feeling the pain of others, and was not sustainable, compassion activated a different area of his brain under fMRI scanning, and could be practiced for far longer without any distress.

This knowledge is important as we think about how to improve compassionate caregiving, in our Health Service, in caring professions and in society.

We now know that compassion is linked to positive emotions. During the research with Tania Singer at the Max Planck Institute, it became clear that the phenomenon we think of as burn out is due to "empathy fatigue", rather than "compassionate fatigue". Matthieu says "In fact, compassion far from leading to distress and discouragement strengthens our fortitude, our inner balance and our courageous determination to help those who suffer. In essence, from our point of view, love and compassion do not wear out. Rather they help to overcome empathic distress.


Click to Link  http://huff.to/19VQupN

In this 27 minute video, Kristin Neff outlines the three components of Self-Compassion (Neff, 2003):

• Notice that you are suffering, with kindness rather than harsh self-judgement
  
• Recognising that suffering is part of common humanity, we are not alone in this experience
• Using Mindfulness to see things clearly, as they are, no more and no less.

Feeling is believing
Before going into the extensive scientific research basis for Self-Compassion, she gets us to try powerful gestures which demonstrate the experience of self compassion and the felt sense in the body. Do try these for yourself as you watch, it's so compelling.

What are some reasons for developing a Self-compassion practice? 
Self-compassion is negatively linked to depression, rumination, anxiety, stress, perfectionism, shame and negative body image. Conversely it's linked to well-being states including happiness, connection, confidence, optimism and life satisfaction.

You can take Kristin's Self-Compassion Test on her website:
http://www.self-compassion.org/test-your-self-compassion-level.html

If you want to explore self-compassion techniques to help you manage difficult times better, this evening event at The School of Life will be great.



We all feel overwhelmed from time to time, and it's great to know there are things we can easily do to help ourselves stay calm, online and realistic. Instead of habitual responses of anxiety, rumination and self-criticism.



Dr Chris Irons is a great speaker and a trainer and practitioner of Compassion Focused Therapy.



The event is at The School of Life in Central London on Monday 3rd March, starting at 19:00. Cost £30.



You can get tickets here:

http://bit.ly/1hCWEez

http://www.emergingwomen.com/2014/01/power-practices-the-self-compassion-break-with-kristin-neff/

This is worth reading again and again ... http://huff.to/K8f4Hw

Now go and pay a colleague a genuine compliment... or ask how someone are they are feeling in a heartfelt way... or better still, find someone you know is having a hard time and see if they would like to have a chat

Tickets are still available for the Action for Happiness Event -  An Evening with Daniel Goleman 
Thursday, 24 October 2013 from 18:30 to 20:30 at the Camden Centre, Euston Road, London WC1H 9JE